A "trump coup" is a phrase used for a special type of manuever. One purposefully ruffs with trumps when not clearly necessary to take tricks, for the purpose of properly timing a finessing situation in trumps when otherwise it would not be there.

But, a "coup" also refers to a "clever act" that one can perform.

In this week's lesson, John Koch alerts us to a "coup" in trump. Judge what to do on this hand, and you can defeat an expert declarer!

Read below to see if you can pull of your coup - or if the right play flies from the coop instead.

October 29, 2007

The first place where I regularly learned to play bridge, meet folks in the bridge community and talk endlessly about the game was the Twin City Bridge Center. (It was called "The Bridge Center" back then in the Stone Age.)

Whether you've been playing since almost the beginning of time, like myself - or whether you are just learning how to tell the clubs from the diamonds (the former are black; the latter red) - the TCBC is still a marvelous spot in which to learn and enjoy our game.

This schedule from the TCBC was just sent to me. Note that the TCBC will have a free game this Thursday night - and many Grand National Team qualifiers in the month of December.

October 22, 2007

November heralds the beginning of the holiday season. But - don't think that bridge activities must be on the wane!

Unit 178 is happy to announce the Minnesota State Sectional in Prior Lake at the Mystic Lake Casino. A flyer below is uploaded, along with a link to ACBL for more details.

In addition to the great bridge competition, you can learn how to improve your own game!

Kerry Holloway, 1/2 of the Kerry-Larry combo that just won the Flight A NAP, heads up the education program for Mystic Lake. Here are the great opportunities for those who wish to attend:

Friday - 2:00 PM

Kerry Holloway:

How you can help your partner be more successful! Perhaps more important than how well you bid, declare or defend... how you administer TLC for your partner.

Friday - 7:00 PM

Should you add new conventions to your arsenal? What do you gain; what do you give up? Support doubles, Kokish, Garbage Stayman, Gambling 3NT and others....

Saturday - 1:00 PM

Steve Gaynor

Forcing NT and handouts. Learn follow up bids to the 1NT forcing by responder, plus customary treatments. If you do not use this treatment, you can gain insight to defend against it - for both bidding and play.

Saturday - 5:00 PM (or immediately following the 1:30 Pair Game)

Review and Commentary. Hand records from the afternoon pair game. Panel comprised of peers and experts to answer your questions. Hors de ouvres: cheese, veggies, chicken drummies and punch provided with this session!

October 15, 2007

For many of us, earning enough points to become a Life Master is the thrill of a lifetime. Others go even further; they earn 1,000 points - or 5,000 points ... or go over 10,000! A few even manage to earn many points, along with a national championship - and then the title of "Grand Life Master" is bestowed upon them.

Now we narrow the field even further.

Only a tiny percentage of bridge players ever even compete in the Bermuda Bowl. Of those? Obviously, no more than 12 players (6 on each team) make it to the finals.

Two home town boys did just that.

Congratulations to Howie Weinstein and Steve Garner. Originally from Golden Valley and Richfield, both have lived in other states for many years. Nevertheless, we still claim them as our own, and are tremendously proud of their incredible bridge achievement.

Along with team captain George Jacobs, Ralph Katz, Michael Rosenberg and Zia, they grabbed the Bermuda Bowl silver medal. Though Norway bettered them in their final days of play, George's wife Stacy well expressed the moment: "But for their last opponents, every team in the world would have traded places with them."

October 11, 2007

So - it is really something that two home town guys, Steve Garner and Howie Weinstein, are in the finals of the most prestigious of the elite events. With more than half of the event to go, the guys are down slightly to the powerful Norweigan team. We, however, know that Steve, Howie, George Jacobs, Ralph Katz, Zia and Michael Rosenberg will prevail in the end!

Tune into Bridge Base Online tonight and tomorrow night if you wish to watch the exciting action!

In particular, we salute these Minnesotans who will carry the mantle of our District to Detroit:

Flight A

1. Kerry Holloway - Larry Oakey

2. Carole Miner - Cindy Balderson

Flight B

1. Maurice Hunke - Diana Hunke

2. Dennis Cerkvenik - William Voedisch

3. Patti Stuhlman - Mark Krusemeyer

Flight C

2. David Gronbeck - Matthew Huntington

Given that Minnesotans had to travel many miles to make it to the finals, I think that a round of applause is due to all! A great showing for the Land of Lakes. Here's to continued success come next spring, too!